Cleveland heading to NBA finals for sixth straight trip

TORONTO (AP) — For LeBron James, it’s six straight trips to the NBA Finals.

Maybe this one will end Cleveland’s long wait for a championship.

James scored 33 points, Kevin Love had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and the Cavaliers advanced to their second straight finals by beating the Toronto Raptors 113-87 in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Friday night, May 27.

The Cavs will be seeking to end Cleveland’s 52-year championship drought, the longest by any city with at least three professional teams. No Cleveland team has won it all since the Browns blanked Baltimore 27-0 to win the NFL championship in 1964.

“This city has been craving a championship,” coach Tyronn Lue said. “We have the right team and we have the right talent.”

James, who grew up in nearby Akron, is well aware of what a championship would mean to Cleveland.

“I know our city deserves it, our fans deserve it,” James said. “But that gives us no sense of entitlement. We’ve still got to go out and get it. We’ve still got to go out and prove ourselves.”

Kyrie Irving had 30 points and J.R. Smith added 15 for the Cavaliers, who will face the winner of the Golden State-Oklahoma City series on Thursday, May 26.

Cleveland would open at home against the Thunder but would be on the road against the 73-win Warriors.